Let’s do a thought experiment. Let’s say a young Jewish woman dressed in Orthodox clothing was shot dead by uniformed Palestinian policemen somewhere in the West Bank. Let’s say that several eyewitnesses said the woman — we’ll call her Anna Agustovsky — had done nothing wrong except to possibly misunderstand orders that the Palestinian police had barked in Arabic. There were photos of one policeman leveling his automatic weapon at Anna, and more photos as she lay on the ground after they shot her. A few days later, Amnesty International, citing the many witnesses, called the killing “an extrajudicial execution.”
Would the New York Times continue to ignore the story? Or would there be wall-to-wall coverage?
But 18-year-old Hadeel al-Hashlamoun was Palestinian. And five days after Israeli soldiers murdered her at an occupation checkpoint in Hebron, the New York Times continues to ignore her death.
The Times’s coverage started out to be somewhat promising. On September 22, reporter Diaa Hadid did transcribe the official Israeli justification for killing Ms. al-Hashlamoun, but also quoted two witnesses who challenged the Israeli account, including a “European activist” who “provided photographs of the episode.”
But none of these photographs appeared with that article, or in the Times at any time since — even though they are all over the internet.
And five days later, the Times has not followed up the story in any way. No reporting of the Amnesty International indictment. No effort to write about the reaction among Ms. al-Hashlamoun’s family, or to tell us who she was. The Times has at least 3 reporters in Israel/Palestine, but none of them has apparently tried to independently investigate the Israeli version of the killing. And let us repeat; the newspaper of record has still not published a single photograph of Ms. al-Hashlamoun as she lay dying.
Our hypothetical Anna Agustovsky would matter to the New York Times. Hadeel al-Hashlamoun, being a Palestinian in an occupied land, does not matter.
This particular photograph clearly shows how despite his high tech body armour and rifle how terrified and vulnerable this highly trained and extremely moral IDF hero must have felt before he made the brave decision not to run away from the life threatening “knife” but to confront the evil 18 year old Palestinian female student who had approached the checkpoint and disable her with the use of proportionate force. Not sure that it will count in the IDF “kill” ratings league back at the barracks though as he didn`t appear to manage a shot in the back.
“Would the New York Times continue to ignore the story? Or would there be wall-to-wall coverage?”
I remember a suicide bombing in Israel in December of 2001 that got what seems like wall to wall coverage for twelve hours straight. It was nothing but a parade of Israeli government officials and journalists sprinkled with sympathetic observers. And one or two Palestinians brought on to get yelled at. I recall thinking at the time “is there nothing else going on we could be focusing on?”
For many people in this world the haunting images of this girl paralyzed of fear, facing the killer before death, will not go away as easily as they went for the media.
The NYT is a tool of zionism and zionism is the scourge of this planet.Some day and it is not a matter of if but when, zionism is seen for what it really is , then all those who aided and abetted it,s crimes will have to answer for their actions .The Jodi rudorens of this world will be justifiably shunned and booted from the fraternity of decent journalism.They can then write books accusing those who defended human rights of destroying the one and only Jewish state.They will never admit guilt but they will know, we know , that they helped to put an end forever, to the so called “Jewish state”.
You wont see me shedding any tears.I might just send a few thank you cards to Rudoren and co .
Could everyone please contact Margaret Sullivan, the ombudsman (woman!) of the New York Times. Here’s how to contact her:
Send an email to public@nytimes.com. Please include the following:
To the Public Editor,
Article Headline: 2 Are Killed in West Bank as Jewish and Muslim Holidays Approach
Date Published: 22nd September 2015
Web or Print: Web and print
Your Concern (please limit to 300 words):
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Your Name:
Location:
Your E-mail:
Phone Number: